Bite That Tattoo on Your Shoulder
by taylorxtorniquet
Summary: When Sam Drake comes back from the dead, Sully enlists the help of some friends of his to accompany them on their journey to find Avery's treasure. What he doesn't know is just how much one of those friends will change Sam's life forever. A Sam Drake x OC story with a sprinkling of Rafe Adler x OC.
1. Chapter 1: Introductions

_Hello everyone! So I've had this story in my head for a while and Lord knows I am absolute trash for Sam Drake (really, who isn't?) so I finally decided to get my lazy ass in gear and crank out this adventure. Just a few things before we do this, I am looking for a beta and would greatly appreciate the help ASAP because I'm an insecure/perfectionist little noodle. The story will start from the Rossi Estate and continue to finding Libertalia as well as after!_

 _For this story I will have three Original Characters that will include the pairing of Rafe Adler x OC but will mainly focus on Sam Drake x OC. I have three original characters, the first is Anastasia (Anya) Ruminovas! For visual reference, her face model will be that of Emilia Clarke. The second character is Senghor Ruminovas, Anya's adopted older brother whose face model will be Idris Elba. Finally, the third character is Aurora Chevalier, close family friend of Anya and Senghor whose face model is Imhogen Poots. Anya and Senghor's parents aren't solid characters in this story, but their face models are Charles Dance and Helen Mirren for future reference._

 _Without further adieu, please enjoy the story!_

Smoke curled and stretched from the Cuban cigar of whence it came and filled the room with it's spicy scent. Gray eyes scanned the burgundy walls and drank in the Russian decor. A Senufo and Ligbi mask decorated the wall on either side of a grand painting above a wide fire place while two glass statuettes of odd proportions reflected the flames on either side. The light brown and gold carpet was simple yet plush, comfortable to any wandering feet.

Victor Sullivan leisurely sat on the fine leather couch with his brow furrowed in worry. It wasn't every day that a ghost came knocking at his door, or in this case Nathan's door.

Samuel Drake was _alive._

Samuel Drake had survived being shot in a god damn Panama prison, rotted for fifteen years in a cell, and eventually escaped with a debt to Hector Alcázar. None of this seemed real and yet it was as plain as day. Sully had never quite gotten on with Sam, but that didn't mean he disliked the man. That didn't mean, however, that he wouldn't listen to his gut.

Nathan, of course, was ecstatic to know that his only brother was alive and well; and really, who could blame him? Nate held a deep love for his family and friends that was obvious to those who knew him. Sully understood, of course he did, why wouldn't he?

What he didn't understand was why Sam felt the need to drag Nathan into this whole mess. Hence, his current situation.

Standing from the couch, Sully made his way to a painting that hung between the two African masks over the fire place. An older couple was depicted in the center of the painting with two others on either side of them. George Ruminovas stood tall and proud in his signature navy suit, a serious expression on his face and his blonde hair carefully swept back. While his face portrayed no funny business, his eyes held that mischievous twinkle Sully had always known him to have.

His hand rested on a woman's cream covered shoulder. Josephine Ruminovas sat poised in a faded gold chair sporting a cream ensemble with gold accents. Her light gray hair framed her elegant face, her ankles crossed and her mouth tilted in a small smile. Sully chuckled as his eyes turned to the other inhabitants of the painting.

Josephine and George Ruminovas had explored nearly all corners of the world in their long life together. From unearthing ancient Aztec mummies to finding the lost city of Atlantis, the couple had cultivated quite the name for themselves. Wanting for nothing in terms of wealth, the couple had spent years trying to conceive children, but time and luck were eternally their enemies. After multiple failures and miscarriages, the Ruminovas had decided to adopt from different areas of the world.

Senghor was the first child and heir. Josephine had always adored Africa and frequently made trips to visit the Wolof Tribe, whom she had many dear friends and supplied them with fresh food, water, medicine, and blankets. On one particular trip, Josephine had discovered a woman had given birth to a son and died from the difficult child birth. The child had no other relatives and was to be sent to a neighboring tribe for better care, but Josephine had fallen in love with the boy.

The chief of the tribe gifted the child with the name Senghor, descendant of the gods, and bade Josephine with thanks and luck after an emotional goodbye. He stood taller to the right of George as well as taller than his father's 6′0. His black suit fit him perfectly, his well groomed face bearing a handsome smile amongst deep chocolate skin. To the left of George stood his second child and only daughter.

Anastasia was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia to a poverty stricken family who had given her to a local orphanage. For the first four years of her life, Anya knew only scolding lessons and bitter snow outside her window. George had been the first shining light in her life. After observing her by herself as the other children played together, George inquired with the orphanage who she was. Not that he or Josephine frequented orphanages or establishments of the like, they simply liked to give back to those who needed care and security far more than they did.

George had fallen in love with Anya's green eyes and infectious smile after he'd managed to impress her with an amateur magic trick. The rest, as they say, was history. She stood at a mere 5′6 in a deep blue dress that touched the ground and flowed from her arms. Her dark brown hair neatly styled in a low bun with wisps hanging from her face; her eyes smiling. The age difference between the two children was humorous, sixteen years to be exact with Anya at the age of twenty five and Senghor in his prime of forty one.

"Sully! It really is you!" A warm feminine voice sounded behind him. Sully turned to see Anya Ruminovas bounding towards him in larger strides than her legs should be able to take her. Sully laughed as he engulfed her in a bear hug that had her feet leaving the floor.

"It's good to see you, Kid. How yah been?" Sully kept his hands on her shoulders as a fatherly gesture.

"A lot better now that you're here! Mr. Grumpy Pants has had his knickers in a twist for God knows how long ever since Aurora joined an expedition with Rafe." Her tone took on exasperation as her hands found a place at her hips.

"Wait, Rafe? Rafe as in Rafe Adler?" Sully questioned disbelievingly.

"The very one, greasy slicked back hair and all." A deep voice broke their reunion with a teasing lilt.

"Senghor Ruminovas, look at yah! You get any taller and we'll need to build you a new ceiling!" Sully joked and embraced the taller man fondly.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that. I quite enjoy the architecture here very much." Senghor teased while patting Sully's shoulder.

"Now, did i hear correctly or did you say that Aurora is working with Rafe Adler?" The older man asked.

"Indeed, but it's no surprise. The Adlers and Chevaliers have always been close and Aurora has been glued to Rafe's side since childhood. Can't imagine what she sees in the monotone git, it's a bloody mystery. But Rafe Adler is not what you came here to discuss, Victor." Senghor noted. Sully nodded and gestured to the couch behind him, letting Anya and Senghor pass.

"You got me there. Buckle up and sit tight, kids, because this is one story you're not gonna believe…."

"All right, thanks." Nathan Drake breathed out as easily as he could. Scaling a giant estate in a tux was not an easy feat. He moved to slip in through the window when Sam's voice stopped him.

"Uh..Nathan..?"

"What?"

Sam made a small show of unzipping his outer layer to reveal a crisp tux underneath, a teasing smirk and raise of his brows showing his amusement.

"Oh yeah…" Nate sheepishly unzipped his protective layer and kicked it to the corner along with Sam's. Nate looked up to find Sam fidgeting with his tux.

"You alright?"

"Yeah…how do I look?" Sam questioned with a slightly nervous look on his face.

"Like four hundred million bucks. Let's go!" Nate chuckled lightly with Sam as he hopped through the window in hopes of finding Sully. As if on cue, a cloud of smoke blew out in a rush.

"Sully?"

"You know what I love about partying with a bunch of crooks?"

"What's that?" Nate chuckled.

"Nobody cares if you smoke indoors." Sully's grin was infectious as he turned on the lamp to his right, illuminating he and his constant cigar. He embraced Nate with a fatherly love and turned to face the other man coming from the window.

"You remember my dead brother, right?" Nate asked lightly.

Sam nodded as Sully stared on in disbelief. He knew Sam was back, but seeing was different from hearing.

"I'll be goddamned. Fifteen years…it's good to see you alive, Sam."

Sam nodded with a tight lipped smile as he accepted Sully's handshake. He never quite saw eye to eye with Victor, but that didn't mean he wasn't grateful for his care of Nate all these years.

"Let's..uh..try keeping him alive by finding this cross, huh?" Nate interjected awkwardly.

"Yeah…uh..about that." Sully trailed off, but was interrupted by a voice that could have been mistaken for thunder.

"It is currently up on display, the bidding will begin in fifteen minutes." Senghor made his presence known as he entered from behind a hidden bookshelf. Nate and Sam turned their heads quickly in his direction and took a step back in alarm.

"And just who the hell are you?" Sam exclaimed dis-trustingly. Sully made his way between the men.

"Senghor, meet Sam Drake, newly risen from the dead. You, of course, already know Nate." Sully trailed off looking between the three. Senghor smiled and reached forward to shake Sam's hand. Reluctantly and with a nudge from Nathan, Sam firmly grasped Senghor's hand.

"Samuel, I've heard much about you. You look very…fresh for a newly risen corpse. Nathan, it's good to see you well." Senghor nodded in Nate's direction as he came in for a hug.

"Senghor! I- God, I can't believe you're here! It's been, what? Two years? When Sully said someone would be joining us in Italy I didn't know he meant you!" Nathan couldn't help his excitement. Senghor had been a close friend for a long time and had helped him with numerous exploits, but seeing him after so long was a breath of fresh air.

"I guess our dear Sullivan forgot to mention me?" A voice teased from behind Sam and Nathan.

 **Anya's POV**

She stepped out in her pink cream Dolce and Gabbana gown, the top a sweetheart neckline and the bottom hugging her curves only to flair out at her feet. If she was being honest, she felt like a goddess; a nice dress and some hair primping could certainly make a girl feel that way. With her hair curled and hanging off of one side and a light touch of makeup, she was ready to take on the world.

But **_damn_** _,_ she didn't know the world was lightly stubbled and currently standing in a sinful tux at an impressive 6′3.

Samuel Drake was not what she was expecting and she'd be damned if she couldn't pick her jaw up off of the floor and make an idiot of herself.

"It's been a while, eh Nate?" Her voice was playful as she smiled at the younger Drake. Nate smiled back and in two steps was hugging her tightly.

"Anya?! Anya Ruminovas, look at you! You must have grown at least two inches since I last saw you, Hobbit." Nate teased playfully and received a light punch to his arm.

"Very funny, Gandalf. Keep that up and maybe I won't help you with your errand to Mount Doom." She teased back, laughing lightly. Nate squeezed her arm before turning to Sam.

"Sam, this is Anastasia Ruminovas, Senghor's younger sister. Both of them have been the best kind of friends a guy could ask for." The moment Samuel Drake made eye contact with her, she knew she was doomed. God, she was just a sucker for older men in tuxes. Great, now she sounded like Lana Del Rey.

Sam smiled at her and nearly knocked the breath from her lungs as he took her hand and guided it to his lips.

"Samuel Drake, but you can call me Sam, beautiful."

Nope, ** _that's_** when she knew she was doomed.


	2. Chapter 2: The Rossi Estate

_Hello ducklings! I got so excited to finally start this story that I wanted to post the second chapter right away. You'll be getting some Sam POV in this one and you'll be meeting my third OC as well! Please feel free to message me if you are interested in being a beta for this story! Now, let's get this auction going!_

 **Sam's POV**

He wasn't much for trusting others, especially when it came to Victor. The better question was why hadn't Nathan told him about Senghor? Sure, the man seemed capable enough, but this wasn't some playground heist around the orphanage; this was Avery's treasure.

All feelings of suspicion and doubt dissipated when another voice floated in from behind.

God damn.

 _God_ _ **damn**_ _._

It had been fifteen years since he'd seen anything so beautiful and feminine in his life. She was a tiny little thing with curves to boot and a smile that nearly knocked him on his ass. The pink dress she wore did dirty things to his imagination and the way her hair was pulled back gave him the perfect view of the curve of her neck.

As soon as he kissed her hand, a small smirk lit her pink lips as her eyes drank him in and _god damn_ if he didn't hang onto her hand for a little longer than necessary.

"Keep giving me those nicknames and you'll give me a big head, Sam." Oh, he was definitely going to get along just fine with Anya Ruminovas.

"Well, if you two are done flirting we should probably be getting down to brass tax." Senghor cleared his throat and walked in between Anya and Sam to the balcony with Nathan and Victor following. Anya chortled and tilted her head in their direction with her eyes locked onto his the entire time. He chuckled and trailed behind her.

Damn, he was in _trouble_.

 **Anya's POV**

Well, this wasn't good.

Avery's cross was already up in plain sight of the estate, booted to the front of the auction as it were.

While the men talked strategy, she examined the ballroom below and kept herself hidden in the shadows. Everyone who was anyone had turned out, or at least anyone who had buckets of cash to spare.

Her green eyes scanned each nook and cranny of the room from the fashion disasters to the emergency exits. They'd need a safe way of escape in case all went to hell, but that didn't mean she also couldn't silently laugh at Duchess Dubroux's overly obnoxious hat.

Just as she was about to continue her silent scan, a large and warm hand touched her lower back.

"I meant it, yah know?"

With a silent smile and tingly feeling in her stomach, she turned to see the elder Drake.

"Meant what exactly?"

"You are beautiful, that wasn't just a need to impress." Oh, he was smooth.

"You say that to all the girls?"

"If I said it's just with you, would that help my case?" He teased.

"You may just get some brownie points for effort." She laughed, she hadn't laughed this much in a while. Hell, she hadn't felt this comfortable around a new face in a long time; she definitely liked the feeling. "So, I assume one of the boys has informed you that we're here to help the cause?" She grasped his arm as they began their descent to the auction floor.

 **Sam's POV**

"Basically that you're here to help us confiscate the cross in the most legal manner possible. Don't know how well that's gonna work." Sam retorted and lightly flexed his arm as she grasped onto his bicep. God, he was becoming a walking cliche.

"Well, legal until one of you fine gentlemen decides to snatch the cross in the dark." Smart and beautiful, perfect combination if anyone asked his opinion.

"You pegged it, Nathan and I are gonna make our way to the electric panel and go from there. The amount of time the room will be in darkness should give us just enough time to snatch up the cross and get the hell outta here." He finished with a confident nod of his head and turned to face her. "When that time comes, however, how do you think you'll manage to book it in that thing?" His eyes roamed her pink clad body.

"Why, Mr. Drake, is that an offer to carry me?" She smirked with her whole face. "Don't worry big guy, I come prepared." With a small wink, she wandered off into the crowd and out of sight. He quickly wiped the dopey grin from his face and started off into the crowd in search of Nathan.

By the time he'd found his little brother, he noticed that he was having a more than difficult time at pick pocketing the targeted waiter. Shaking his head in amusement, Sam made his way to Nathan just as he failed at another swipe.

"You uh..need some pointers?"

"No, I'm just…warming up. That's all." Nathan responded in a less than confident tone.

"Whaddya say we just run it like the old days, okay? I do the interference and you make the grab. Alright?" When his little brother agreed, Sam set off to distract the waiter in hopes that Nathan could retrieve his key card.

This could take a while.

Senghor's POV

He was not amused. Nope, not at all. Not one _single_ _ **bit**_.

Senghor prided himself on being a calm and collected man, and he was. He absolutely was, there was no question that he wasn't. He could keep a poker face in front of a room of bumbling executives, he could even force a smile and listen to the aristocracy babble bullshit in his ear all night at this estate.

But when it came to men flirting with Anya he might as well strap on a loincloth, grab a club and call himself a cave man.

Oh sure, he'd seen a fair share of young men and women attempt to flirt with and woo his younger sister, even a few men well past their prime. But he'd never witnessed his sister show much interest in their attempts or even lift a finger to flirt back. Watching her interact with the older Drake was very new and foreign, ever since…well…ever since her ex, Anya hadn't been the same in terms of new friendships; let alone relationships.

Samuel Drake was unknown territory, **_dangerous_** territory.

Not only that, but Sam was older than himself. Sure, only by two years, but that still didn't make him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. No, this was absolutely out of his comfort zone and _'oh no…please tell me that isn't Nadine Ross talking to Victor and Anya…'_

Anya's POV

If there was one thing Victor Sullivan was known for, it was his uncanny ability to hide the truth and bullshit his way through life. She'd absolutely be lying if she said she wasn't impressed.

"Last I heard he settled down and got married." Anya had to fight down a smile at Sully's words.

"Well then he might as well be dead am I right?" Oh no. Oh hell _fucking_ **NO** , that was not the voice she presently wanted to hear. Turning quickly she came face to face with none other than Rafe Adler and his overly gelled hair.

"Victor Sullivan! How the hell are yah?" His voice was as monotone as she remembered and his presence still made her slightly uneasy. She watched them exchange pleasantries until a voice broke her concentration.

"Anya!" All of their heads swiveled behind Rafe as a blonde clad in a deep blue dress came into view. She felt her lips smile at the sight.

"If I knew you'd be here I would've brought a night light and some pop corn, Chevalier." Anya giggled as the woman lightly slapped her shoulder and launched herself into her arms. "Not that I'm complaining, but what are you doing in Italy, Rorie?"

"She's here with me, Anastasia." Rafe's voice cut through like a knife.

"Say what now? You wanna repeat that, _Rafael_? I couldn't quite understand your monotone." Anya felt Aurora pinch her arm as a warning.

"I'm making sure he doesn't buy out the entire auction, his floor boards would probably collapse if he bought one more ancient vase. Besides, it's always good to have a historian on hand for these events." Aurora explained as she made her way back to Rafe's side. Anya's eyes once again analyzing every move as she watched Rafe's hand make a home on Aurora's lower back in a protective manner.

For as long as she could remember, Rafe Adler had been a constant presence in Aurora's life. While he was cold and aloof, Aurora was warm and inviting; essentially they were Yin and Yang. Aurora was under the impression for the longest time that Senghor and Anya would become close to Rafe and that the four of them would become a team.

Boy howdy, was she wrong.

"Indeed. So Sullivan, any advice on what I should pick up tonight?" Rafe inquired.

"Yeah, like I wanna bid against him" Sully motioned in Nadine's general direction. "But, just between you and me, I did notice they changed the order. I think somebody might be trying to rig this auction." Sully finished with a sure expression in Rafe's direction.

"Well remember where we are, this crowd didn't get rich by playing fair." He sounded a little too smug for Anya's liking and _wouldn't you know it_ when Nadine chose that moment to reveal that she was Rafe's partner. This night just kept getting better and better. She mused silently to herself for a few more minutes until the sound of glass shattering woke her up

Rafe had swatted Sully's scotch from his hand and proceeded to threaten the older man with what sounded like death. Oh this was **_not_** gonna fly. Nadine and Aurora brought Rafe back to his senses just as Anya was about to sock him in his idiot face.

"Rafe, c'mon. This isn't worth getting worked up over." Aurora's voice seemed to sooth over Rafe's being as he turned to her and slung his arm around her shoulders, leading her away into the crowd with Nadine trailing behind.

Anya stepped closer to Sully and let out an exasperated sigh.

"Well…this will be fun."

Sam's POV

The plan was fool proof, Victor needed to buy them a little more time until Nathan could flip the power, he'd grab the cross, and they'd be one step closer to Avery's treasure. He'd lost track of Anya and Senghor half way through the night, but he couldn't afford to be distracted right now; not when they were so close.

Victor eventually gave up on bidding against Rafe and gladly let him have his bid.

"You had me worried for a minute there, Victor. Thought I might have to kill yah." Rafe's joke had the audience letting out scores of fake laughter that made his eyes roll to the back of his skull.

"Okay, let's ruin this asshole's evening." Sully's voice sounded over their ear pieces. Sam smirked as the lights went out and he sprang into action. Swiftly grabbing the cross and gliding across the stage, Sam made for the staff door. Once he was safely away from Rafe and his goons, he notified Nathan that Saint Dismas was safely in his grasp. A light tap on his shoulder had his heart doing flip flops.

"Jesus Christ! Yah know, this really isn't the best time for surprises." He trailed off as he realized that it was only Anya who had snuck up on him. She chuckled as his hand remained firmly over his heart, still trying to calm it's pace.

"Easy there, Big Guy, I just need a little assistance. If we're gonna escape, you're gonna need to help me out." Her eyes were mischievous and he found himself curious as to what she meant. As if answering his thoughts, Anya turned her back to him. "Unzip me." He nearly did a double take.

"Beg your pardon?" There was no way she actually just asked him to-

"Listen, we can either stand here and wait for our inevitable arrest or you can unzip me and we can make a clean exit. Your choice, Big guy." She turned her head slightly so that he could see the seriousness in her eyes.

God damn. Well, alright then.

With a slightly trembling hand and a silent bob of his adams apple, he grasped the delicate zipper in one hand and gently held her shoulder in the other. Just as he was about to pull the zipper a small picture on her right shoulder blade caught his attention. It was a tattoo, a small tattoo of a red rose to be exact. He stood so that he was right up against her back as his thumb caressed the ink softly; his breath lightly hitting her neck.

"Sam?" God damn, but her voice sounded breathy as hell and he swore he might have needed an oxygen mask in that moment. Oh yeah, escaping, that was a thing.

Pushing his baser desires to the back of his head, he finally unzipped her dress and stood back to watch her shimmy out of it. She surprised him again by standing there in what appeared to be a black tube top that touched just above her pierced belly button and a pair of black skin tight leggings that reached her mid calf accompanied by black and white Adidas. If he thought she was beautiful before…

With a slight shake of her hair, she smiled in his direction and grabbed his hand and damn if that didn't send tingles through out his entire body.

"C'mon Big Guy, I think it's time we took this party else where." With a small shake of his head, he squeezed her small hand in his own and pulled her along the hallway.


	3. Chapter 3: Balcony Whispers

_I am so completely blown away by the positive out pour of love and kudos towards the first two chapters of my fic…you guys are seriously the best and I wanted to publish this chapter as quickly as possible! Please enjoy and don't be afraid to give me feedback or send me your comments! I only look intimidating, I'm actually a noodle. Enjoy, my lovelies!_

 **Anya's POV**

She didn't really understand how they escaped in one piece, but here they were in Sully's car all squished together. Nate and Sully sat in the front while Senghor and Sam sat in the back with herself in between them. Senghor was still stiff and high on adrenaline as he stared out the window, ensuring that no one was following them. When she and Sam made a break for it, they met up with Nate who was heavily pinned down near the front of the Rossi Estate. While attempting to speed their escape, the three of them were in awe as they witnessed Senghor dive from a high ledge and land straight on a group of shooters.

Her brother was James Bond, she was sure of it.

She chuckled quietly so not to spook Senghor and turned her head to look at Sam. His head was tilted back, an easy smile on his face and he appeared to be dosing. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she examined him more closely in the moonlight. It wasn't that she hadn't looked at him before, quite the contrary. In this light however, she could fully take him in without the fear of being noticed or teased for looking too long.

He had a light smattering of stubble that complimented the lines on moderately tanned skin. His lips were lightly full for a man, but damn if she didn't appreciate that. His nose could be considered big to some, but she thought it complimented his angles and features nicely. He had a tattoo of birds in flight on his neck, no detail or anything fancy, just simple outlines.

She really wanted to trace them. Nothing dirty mind you…just trace them. Follow their lines and learn their story.

Like Nate he had a head of dark brown hair, but his was slightly receding. She knew he was quite a bit older than she was, she also knew that it ruffled Senghor's feathers. It wasn't that Senghor resented Sam for his age, he didn't resent him at all. He was just protective.

A big protective teddy bear. Well, a big protective teddy bear that could kill you with a flick of his pinky finger, but that wasn't the point.

She didn't trust easy, not after the shot storm that was her ex and Senghor knew that explicitly. The jerk made her feel like an object to the world, something that people looked at and only thought of personal uses for. He'd nearly succeeded in turning her against her own family and friends before Senghor had thrown his heart at her feet.

The memory of watching her much older brother cry in front of her was enough to start her own water works again.

Yes, she understood why he was so protective.

But _God_ there was something about Sam Drake that made her want to trust him with everything she had. She wasn't an idiot, she wanted to get to know Sam a bit more before she caught a case of the feelings. As if she hadn't already.

With a small sigh, she laid her head back and tried to take as much of a nap as she could.

Senghor's POV

They arrived at the hotel quite quickly with how fast Victor had been driving, not that he was complaining; he needed a cigar and a soft bed. His sister had gone to freshen up while the _'big boys played with their toys'_ as she'd so crudely put it. As he puffed on one of Victor's famous Cuban cigars, they managed to figure out that that next clue lay in Scotland; Avery's grave to be exact.

He hadn't given much thought of continuing with them, he was really only suppose to assist with the Rossi Estate, take his sister, and be on his way. Now though…he couldn't deny his interest.

Henry Avery was a huge figure in history, pirate history to be exact and pirates were Senghor Ruminovas' guilty pleasure.

He obviously needed to consult with Anya before making said decision, but he had a feeling he knew what she'd decide. His eyes wandered th=o the older Drake as the thought crossed his mind.

Nate had just left the room for a bit of fresh air on the balcony as Victor spoke up.

"Look, I realize it couldn't have been easy all those years away and I'm sorry for what happened to you. But, it's not his fault." Victor gestured to Nate as Samuel put down his drink, a tight expression on his face.

"I never said it was."

"It took a long time for him to get outta this game." Victor insisted.

"You see a gun to his head? He chose this. He's meant for this life." Senghor could tell that Samuel was becoming increasingly annoyed with Victor's words and took another long drag of his cigar.

"You really believe that?" Victor was incredulous.

"Why are you really here, Victor?" Samuel avoided the question.

"Because somebody's gotta keep an eye out for him." Victor once again gestured towards Nate. Senghor flicked his eyes downward, silently admiring Victor's intentions. He may not have trusted Victor at first when his father introduced them, but as time went on he realized that the old man protected those he cared for. Other than that, he helped make his father's last days more joyful and _that_ was something Senghor would never forget.

As the tension rose to an all time high, Nate chose that moment to walk back in and _thank god for that_. He explained how Elena believed he was on a business trip, and Senghor felt his brotherly instincts kick in. Elena was a lovely girl with a knack for adventure and Senghor viewed her as another little sister. Sure, she wasn't thrilled with Nate's tomb raider part of life, but he really wasn't giving her enough credit.

"Well, I hear that the weather is particularly _fine_ in Scotland this time of year." Victor's voice brought him out of his revery. Nate smiled at Victor and then turned his attention towards himself.

"Senghor? Listen, having you and Anya tonight was a huge help and…well I'd really love it if you could stay and continue the journey with us." Nate was completely sincere and visibly nervous in asking the question. "It would mean a lot, really."

Senghor eased himself back in his seat and picked his glass of scotch up from the table. He swirled the amber liquid in his glass and looked up at Nate with a straight expression.

"I would love nothing more, Nate. Being back in action tonight was…exhilarating if I'm being honest. My one condition is that you clear it with Anya as well, I can't imagine she would say no…" His answer was cut short.

 **Sam's POV**

"You can't imagine I'd say no to what exactly?" He looked beyond Victor to see Anya in a light blue cotton ensemble of pajama shorts and a tank top, her hair still slightly wet from the shower. _Damn…_

"If you'd say no to joining us in finding Avery's treasure. You kicked ass tonight Kid, it'd be good to have you along and to keep these two in line." Victor gestured between he and Nathan. Her head tilted and her eyes looked up in mock thought as she bit her lip in a contemplative manner.

"I can't find myself saying no to buried treasure and pirates, it all sounds kinda…romantic." She finished with a quick glance in his direction and settled her eyes on Victor. Did his heart just stutter? Was that possible? Nathan laughed as he lifted his glass in a toast as he and the others followed suite. Anya picked up the bottle and clinked it against their glasses, taking a long swig right after. He watched transfixed as a small droplet escaped her mouth and ran down her cheek. A hand tapped his chin until his bottom row of teeth clinked against the top.

"Pick your jaw up, Samuel. It's rude to stare." Senghor looked him over with a warning glance and got up from his seat, Victor and Nate following his example. "Anyway, I believe now would be a delightful time to retire gents. I'll see you all bright and early for Scotland." With a smirk, Senghor retired to his room with Victor right behind him. Nathan strayed for a few seconds to look discreetly between he and Anya before he shook his head with a smile and bid them goodnight.

Finally, he was left by himself with Anya. Actually by _himself_. No Nathan, no Victor, no Senghor, and no random auctioneers. _God damn_ , how many times had he said and thought that tonight in regards to her? A whole fucking lot.

She smiled in his direction and walked past him towards the balcony, a light brush of her arm against his. Taking the hint, he followed behind slowly so not to seem too eager. He wasn't a teenager anymore for Christ's sake.

She was posed so that she lent against the railing, her weight rested on her arms and her right leg crossed behind her. He copied her stance keeping a few meager inches between them and reached into his pocket.

"Do yah mind?" He asked as he held up his lighter and a cigarette. She glanced in his direction and lightly shook her head, he could feel her eyes on him as he lit up.

"So tell me," He inhaled the smoke and blew out calmly, "Why is Anastasia Ruminovas, daughter of the famous treasure hunters George and Josephine Ruminovas, here with ragtag brothers Nathan and Samuel Drake?" His tone was teasing, but he was being genuinely honest in a way. "I mean, your parents discovered the lost city of Atlantis for Gods sake! And you helped to uncover at least fifty percent of Ramesses the second's lineage in only two months! You even found hidden compartments in his tomb years after his body was discovered, you completely showed up those stiffs in Bembridge." Okay, he was actively babbling now and he wished she'd stop him. As if hearing his thoughts she responded.

"While all that is well and good, and believe me I love my mummies more than anything, pirates are a bit of weak point for my brother and me." Her eyes crinkled at the edges as she smiled. "When I was little, my father would read me these stories about pirates and all of their escapades. Not the normal bed time story, but he knew I wasn't into the whole princess locked away in a tower thing." She turned so that her back leaned against the railing, unknowingly moving closer to him in doing so. "There was swashbuckling, sea monsters, dastardly captains, and _mermaids_." Her eyes absolutely lit up when she uttered the word.

"You like mermaids, huh?" He smiled and edged closer to her.

"I use to pretend I was one. I'd swim in the pool for hours, letting my hair float around me underwater and pretending my legs were fins. It drove my mother crazy when I came out after ten hours looking like a prune and tracking water across the floors." She smiled with her teeth and looked down as her left arm came up to rub her right.

"Cold? Hang on a second." Before she could protest, he sprang into action, running from outside to inside and back to outside to give her his coat. "Would've been more convenient if I'd been wearing it in the first place, but it'll have to do." He slipped the jacket over her shoulders and rubbed his hands up and down her arms. She looked up at him in an almost shy manner and it had his heart doing flip flops.

"Wanna know the most cliche part of my whole mermaid phase?" She questioned softly.

"Tell me." He asked softly.

Her face took on a vulnerable note that had him rubbing her arms softly again with his thumbs, this time not in the name of warmth. "I always pictured the mermaid in the story would end up with the pirate. That maybe she'd get a happy ending too." She looked down and raised her hands to fiddle lightly with his white dress shirt. "But she was always alone in the end, always ignored for the fair lass on the docks. The pirate always preferred corsets and blue eyes to fins and sea weed tangled hair. I just…wanted her to be happy." She looked up and his hands traveled from her arms to cup her face.

"I think she will be." Her eyes glittered with slight confusion. "The mermaid, I think she'll get her happy ending."

"Yeah?" Her voice was soft and child like, as if she couldn't believe what he was saying.

"Without a doubt. I've always found fins and sea weed hair more attractive anyway." He chuckled as she finally laughed and brought her hands up to squeeze his.

He held her there for a few moments longer before clearing his throat and letting her go, backing up slightly in the process. "Anyway, we should probably get some shut eye. Morning is gonna be a real bitch other wise." He lightly joked and looked down at his shoes. He heard her before he saw her in front of his face.

She pulled up his face with her small hands and brought his cheek to her lips.

 _Ba-Bump_

His heart nearly went to his throat as she lingered on his cheek for a few seconds.

 _Ba- Bump. Ba- Bump._

Her lips left his cheek far too soon for his liking and her hands traveled to his chest before sliding away.

"Thank you, Sam." Her voice was a whisper filled with a range of emotions he couldn't focus on.

"You're welcome, babygirl." The nickname slipped out before he could stop it and he nearly face palmed right then and there. She quirked an eye brow and smiled.

"Babygirl, eh?" He held his breath until she let out a chuckle. "I like it." She assured him and he let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding.

"Oh, good uhm that's- that's good I…" He felt himself start to ramble before she started to walk past him, stopping again to lightly peck his other cheek.

"Good night, Sam." She whispered as she continued past him to her room. When he knew he was by himself, he looked up at the stars and let the biggest smile take over his face. He let out a light chuckle as he bent over to rest his hands on his knees, his head dropping for a few seconds before looking back up.

"God damn…"

He was sure his smile could be heard louder than his words.


	4. Chapter 4: Avery's Grave & Close Calls

_Oh_ _my darling readers, I am back with another chapter! Things have been hectic this week, I just moved back into school for my senior year and let me tell you it's a weird feeling. On the bright side, I just got into my school play as one of the leads so I'm over the moon right now! Also, a special shout out to smugcaptainrogers because she's been so amazing in her support of this story and me. Please go check out her work, it's amazing! Anyway, onto Avery's grave in Scotland!_

 **Anya's POV**

Scotland was absolutely gorgeous, she could definitely see herself living here; or at least buying a cottage. The hills were tall with patches of snow still covering and the occasional group of flowers striving to grow through. The Scottish sun shed light upon the crumbling cathedral in the distance as she and the Drakes made their trek towards the untouched graveyard. So far, they'd fought their way through multiple Shoreline camps and had multiple close calls with one or two cliffs.

Well, she knew it wouldn't be easy so there was no room for complaining.

She could faintly hear the brothers bickering as they came to a stop just by the cemetery. Taking a few steps past the grave stones on either side of her, she stopped to take in the sun on the horizon.

 _This_ is what she lived for.

Being on the go so often, she barely had time to stop and take in anything around her. She was either looking into the bones of those long dead or clambering to get to her next location, always tunnel vision and unwavering. Seeing the sun gently glide in the sky as the wind ruffled pieces of hair that escaped her low pony, she could honestly say that she was content.

Of course, there was still the issue of Shoreline, Nadine, and Rafe lurking around somewhere.

With a small sigh, she turned to join the brothers and help in the hunt for Avery's grave. She couldn't help but want to take a closer look at the skeletons in the freshly dug up graves.

"Looks like Rafe's been digging around already." Nate's tone was laced with annoyance.

"Oh, _great_." Sam was equally annoyed.

"It's a good thing he has no idea what he's actually looking for."

"No, but he could get lucky." Sam cautioned.

"Let's hope not."

She shook her head and jumped into the open grave to further inspect the skeletons. As Nate wandered off in search of the grave, Anya removed a small pouch from her back pocket that held her tiny chisel, hammer, and brush. She lightly dusted the dirt and grime from the skulls teeth and used her chisel to pick at it's teeth.

Scurvy. How original for a pirate.

"Having fun, babygirl?" Sam's voice teased and she smiled so only her dead companion could see.

Ever since he'd called her 'babygirl' at the hotel, it kind of…stuck and she couldn't hide her giddiness at the new nickname. Turning to face him, she realized that he had jumped down to join her in the grave.

If she wasn't so impressed she might of had a heart attack at his ability to sneak.

"We're gonna have to put bells on you, Big Guy." She shook her head and continued her examination of the pirate corpse.

"Can't help if I'm light on my feet and that you're easy to spook." His laugh was small at first until he lightly poked her in the side, causing a small squeal to escape and for her chisel to go straight through the dead man's tooth.

Sam was in stitches at the look on her face. His laugh was infectious and she found herself wanting to laugh as well, but her poor new friend was now short of two more teeth. Sam finally gathered himself and stopped to lightly sling an arm around Anya's shoulder.

"You still with me, babygirl?"

"I can practically feel this guy seething from the afterlife, wasn't bad enough that he had scurvy and now I've gone and knocked his teeth out." Her tone was teasing.

"Eh, I don't think he'll mind. Didn't take very good care of himself in the first place from the looks of it." He lightly squeezed her with his arm and she looked at him. "C'mon, Nathan won't get anywhere without us." He laughed and guided her out of the grave.

Each stone they examined seemed to be right, but with small details missing every time. A small amount of frustration began to set in until Nathan called out for she and Sam.

"Guys, come here!"

The tall grave stone seemed to have every detail that was described in the paper from inside the Saint Dismas cross, except for one thing.

The skull.

"It should be facing-"

"Sideways!" The boys joined in with her before she could finish her sentence.

With a gentle push of the skull, a secret stairway opened up behind the grave into an underground chamber. She let out a bark of laughter as she looked between the brothers.

"Oh my god…" She was in absolute disbelief.

"You ready for this?" Nate asked Sam while also directing his gaze at her.

"Oh, I've been ready for a _long_ time." Sam replied with absolute conviction.

 **Sam's POV**

They made their way through and out of the underground cavern and he had never felt so excited in his life. They were one step closer to finding Avery's treasure! They were actually going somewhere with all of this!

He couldn't even find it in him to be frustrated when they came upon another puzzle that had them going back towards the cathedral. No amount of slippery cliffs and pirate puzzles could dampen his spirits now.

After completing another puzzle that almost cost Nathan his arm, the three of them squished through a small passage way with himself in the front, Anya in the middle, and Nathan bringing up the rear.

"Damn, this place is dusty. I can hardly see anything." He complained.

"I don't know, I have a pretty great view over here." Anya teased and he felt a grin form on his face knowing she was talking about his ass.

"Is that right? Maybe you should go first next time so I can see what you're seeing, babygirl." He heard her chortle behind him as Nathan gagged. He chuckled again and slipped through before helping Anya and Nathan out as well.

As they made their way deeper into the cavern, Nathan motioned towards a crack in the wall and pressed his ear against it.

Those were definitely voices, familiar voices.

From what he could make out, Rafe was pissed at Nadine for her men's lack of discretion and subtlety and Nadine was done doing things Rafe's way. When Rafe was finally left alone, he made his way to continue moving until a voice stopped him.

"Rafe?" He didn't recognize that voice.

He heard Anya audibly gasp from beside him, it seemed she knew exactly who the voice belonged to..

 **Rafe's POV**

He turned his head quickly and allowed his fists to un-clench slightly at the familiar face. It was just Aurora, _thank_ _God_.

 **"** You really don't look good, Rafe. I'm worried about you." Her tone was caring as she came to lean on the table beside him **.** Her hand came out to rest on top of his hand, squeezing lightly. How long had she been such a constant in his life? Everything was loud and chaotic when she wasn't there, everything was a cluster fuck and a half when she wasn't there to calm him down.

"I need to find it, Aurora. I'm _this_ fucking close and I can't afford anyone to screw this up for me." His eyes took on tunnel vision again as he stared at the scattered papers in front of him.

"Rafe…"

Her voice was soft and calm, like the river that used to run in the back yard of her house; the one she'd hide with him at when his father got…physical. He felt her hand lightly direct his face to look at her.

"I know what this means to you, I do. I've been your best friend for fifteen years, you forget I know you. But Rafe, if you keep this up and let this obsession control you, you're going to find more than just a dead man's treasure." She'd always been the one to try and calm the situation, always had been able to bring him down from his anger. This though…this was different.

"Rora, I appreciate what you're trying to do. Really, I do. But I can't give up on this, I _won't_ give up on this. If Nadine refuses to follow my lead then I'll have to take matters into my own hands." He lightly squeezed her hand with a small smile and began to gather the papers he'd scattered earlier.

"I don't want to lose you." She hadn't ever sounded so small to him.

He turned to look at her and noticed the slight wetness in her eyes. "Lose me? Rora, what are you talking about? You're not losing me to anything." He lightly chuckled with a small smirk before stopping himself when she began to bite her lip.

That was the tell tale sign of tears to come, of the tears she was attempting to swallow down.

"I _can't_ lose you." She repeated with a hitch to her breath. No, that wouldn't do.

"Hey, easy now." He lowered his voice to soothe as much as he could before enveloping her in his arms. He wasn't much for physical affection, not even with any of his ex's or occasional flings from the past. But, as Anastasia Ruminovas once quoted so elegantly, 'he had always been a sucker for her.' He ran a calming hand down her back as the other held the back of her head.

"Listen to me and listen closely because I will not repeat myself. You are never going to lose me, you know it's not easy for me to be as much of a bleeding as you are, but i can promise you that I will never willingly leave you." He backed up slightly to cup her face in his hands and look into her eyes. "Understand? Never." She looked into his eyes and slightly nodded her head.

She still wasn't smiling.

"Hey, chin up. When this is all over I'll take you for that beer tower I owe you." She laughed a watery laugh and lightly poked his stomach in retaliation.

There she was.

"You know i wasn't serious about that, Rafe." She laughed.

"I know nothing of the sort. A bet is a bet, and I never leave any unfinished debts." He led her out of the room feeling slightly lighter than when he'd entered, for once.

 **Anya's POV**

She sighed as the conversation ended and nudged Nate to keep moving, her eyes sad. She didn't like Rafael Adler, she really didn't think she ever would. He'd known Aurora for fifteen years and never once had he bothered to look and see the feelings she had for him.

Oh yes.

Aurora had gradually fallen in love with Rafe in their teens and it slowly became obvious that she wanted to be with him as they approached their early twenties. Of course, Rafe being his glittering self spent his life moving from girl to girl, never once bothering to look Aurora's way.

It wasn't that he didn't care about Aurora, quite the opposite. Not that she was defending the little bottle of monotone hair gel, but she knew that Rafe had a special place in his heart for Aurora, even if he didn't want to acknowledge it.

Through her reverie, she could feel Sam's concerned eyes on her as she thought deeper on her friend. By the time she dragged herself out of her own brain, the group had approached a giant room with a stone table in the center and a scale resting on top of it.

"Right, this is another test; greed."

"Or lack there of."

She examined the scale closely as the boys conversed, eyeing the cross and the coins.

"Guys, it's gotta be the coins." Her tone was sure as Nate looked at her in agreement. Sam was still a bit wary in his body language.

"You're sure about this?" He questioned.

"Pretty sure." She replied as the stone above them echoed in what sounded like an explosion.

Shoreline. They needed to act fast.

"Pretty sure will have to do." Sam went to take a coin before Nate's voice stopped him.

"Just-just one."

"Yeah. I got it." Sam replied dryly.

She watched as Sam eyes the scale again before looking back up at her. She nodded surely in his direction and gave a small yet reassuring smile. He sighed and reached forward while closing his eyes.

"Please don't be a trap." He whispered anxiously.

As his fingers snatched a coin, she finally released the breath she was holding as multiple torches lit to reveal what seemed to be a map projected from the ceiling.

Specifically a map of Madagascar.

"He was recruiting…" Nate broke through her musings.

"Who was recruiting?" Sam questioned.

"Avery…" She replied trailing off.

"Recruiting for what?" Sam sounded irritated at this point.

His question was never answered as an explosion blew the stone near them to bits. Sam grabbed her as they fell back from the force, holding her head to his chest to shield her from the rocks and ash. By the time the dust had cleared, she lifted her head from Sam's chest to see Nadine and her soldiers plowing through.

Oh how she wished she could roll her eyes without the threat of being shot.

As Nadine notified Rafe of their whereabouts, she came up with an idea. Oh it was a brilliant, but dangerous idea. Well, c'est la vie.

"You'll need the cross." She said in Nadine's direction. The woman's head turned towards her in confusion. Nate seemed to silently catch onto what she was doing.

"You'll need it to find your destination in Kings Bay. But there's only three people who can show you how to use it." He chimed in. Nadine smirked, still oblivious to what they were doing.

"Let me guess, you three?" She questioned.

"Well, if you leave it to Rafe you'll be waiting a long time." Nate replied.

"Sorry Drake, I'm not here to negotiate. Bring me the crucifix." She motioned at her men to bring the object to her.

"It's not a crucifix…" Nate uttered.

"What?" Nadine was definitely annoyed at this point.

"Well technically a crucifix refers to a cross that…you know what? Never mind."

Nadine seemed to grow confused for a second before realization dawned on her face.

"Don't touch it!" But it was too late.

Shit, they had to _RUN_.

 **Sam's POV**

Oh he was beyond done at this point, _beyond_ done. After they'd successfully escaped the crumbling cathedral, they had to once again fight their way through Nadine's goons. A whole shit ton of them if he was being exact.

Just as Victor's plane came into view, he heard her.

"Shit!" Anya's curse had him turning around just in time to see her go down.

He felt his heart drop into his ass in that second.

"Anya!" He ran to her swiftly and lifted her into his arms as more Shoreline guns advanced on them. "C'mon babygirl, we're getting outta here!" He hadn't been able to see where she'd been shot, but her face was scrunched in pain and that was enough for him to book it.

"Hang on tight!" He yelled to her as he jumped into the water after Nathan in order to get to Victor's plane. As he swam closer he could feel her grip on his neck loosen slightly and his one arm tightened around her even more. "Stay with me Anya, stay with me babygirl!" His tone was urgent as his legs kicked faster.

Finally getting into the plane, he threw off his coat to cushion her head on as he screamed for Nathan. She'd been shot in her calf and shoulder, a double whammy as Victor would say.

"Why do…I feel so…dizzy…?" Anya's words were slurred and he could feel himself panic before Nathan grasped his shoulder.

"Sam, breathe. The bullets went straight through so we don't need to do any digging. We just need to stem the blood flow until we can stitch her up." Nathan's calm aura helped slightly, but not too much. "Just stay with her and keep her awake while I talk to Sully." He walked off to the front of the plane.

Feeling a light tap on his hand, he looked down to see Anya's hand lightly tapping his. Pulling himself together, he pulled her gently into his arms and cradled her head to the space between his neck and shoulder.

"I know it's gonna be hard, but I need you to stay awake for me babygirl." He begged her gently.

"I can…try…Big Guy…" Her words continued to slur, only serving to increase his worry. He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head and prayed silently.

Please, _please_ keep her safe, _**please**_ …

He didn't know how long he sat in the plane trying to keep her awake until Nathan came over to signal that they'd finally landed. He hadn't even noticed and he really didn't care at this point. With gentle ease, he stood up and took her to the little hotel Victor had taken them to.

"Bring her inside, Senghor and i can stitch her up on the bed." Victor's voice cut through his haze as he walked swiftly into the room. Senghor immediately stood from his desk he'd been researching at and followed with thundering footsteps. Entering the shabby bedroom, he laid her down only to see her eyes closed.

"Anya, open your eyes. C'mon, babygirl open your eyes!" Sam panicked as his hand came up to wipe the sweat off her brow and smooth her hair away from her forehead.

"What happened?! Samuel, answer me!" Senghor's voice sliced into him.

"She was shot, Shoreline came after us and they managed to land a few shots…I wasn't quick enough…" He went to continue, but Senghor silenced him.

"Enough, I need to work quickly." Senghor was curt and cold as Nathan grabbed his shoulder to escort him out of the bedroom. He sank into the ratty couch and put his head in his hands.

"Sam, she'll be fine. Sully and Senghor know what they're doing." He kept his head in his hands until Nathan sat beside him. "It's not our fault and you know for damn sure she's gonna assure you of the same thing." Nathan pushed again.

He knew his brother was right, he really did. It was just difficult to know he couldn't do anything to help her. Ever since the night on the balcony, he began to see her in another light. She wasn't just something pretty to look at anymore, she was worming her way into his heart and _that_ was dangerous. She was eighteen years his junior and way too good for him if he was being honest.

He understood that they'd just met, but he also knew that she loved mermaids and liked to wear her hair down in wild waves. That she found mummies more fascinating than people and her eternal love for spicy food. And above all…

He knew he was starting to feel something very foreign for her.


	5. Chapter 5: So Baby Pull Me Closer

Hellooooooooo ladies and gents! Your resident Bone Daddy has returned with another chapter for your shipper eyes! Sorry this took quite a bit, school is already keeping me super busy. When you're reading the end, be sure to listen to Closer by The Chainsmokers to enhance your reading experience, I swear it's worth it. Before we begin, I'd like to send a shoutout to libertaleia for being a lovely person in general and to my pal smugcaptainrogers for being my biggest fan. Now, on with the story!

 **Anya's POV**

A harsh light cut through her foggy haze and slowly brought her back from the land of sleep. A dull pain could be felt in her leg and shoulder, but not nearly as strong as she remembered it. With a small amount of difficulty, she opened her eyes to see the early afternoon light peeking through her small motel window.

When her vision began to right itself again, she wiggled her fingers and toes under the cheap blankets and sighed mentally.

 _'Not dead, limbs working, could be worse.'_ She thought.

She slowly began the task of sitting up when the door opened to reveal Senghor. His face seemed to have aged ten more years since she last saw it, dark circles under his eyes and deep wrinkles on his forehead. His eyes met her finally conscious ones.

"Anastasia!" His voice should never sound so vulnerable, not her brother. "Thank the gods!" He was by her side in three long strides and taking her face in his dark hands.

"Hey Gub." Her voice was weak, but his face lit up at the childhood nickname. He took her in as any worried brother would and eventually sighed in relief. His head dropped and his breathing deepened slightly. "Senghor? Talk to me." She hadn't seen him act like this since their father had died.

"When I saw you...the last time I remember you looking so small was when Father first brought you home. I didn't want to consider the possibility that, perhaps this time, I wasn't there for you." His voice deepened and was slightly saturated with guilt and water.

With a sad crease of her brow she let go of his hand in order to wrap her arms around his wide shoulders. She squeezed her arms around him when she felt him latch onto her. He'd always been a safe place for her, he'd always been there since the moment she was brought home from Russia and she honestly didn't know where she'd be without him.

"I'm okay, Gub. I'm _okay_. It's not the first time I've been injured on the job and i know that's not what you want to hear, but I'm here and I'm okay." She began to lightly scratch his head in a soothing manner. "I know what you're thinking and this wasn't in any way your fault, do you hear me?" She felt him sigh before he nodded against her shoulder.

By the time he let her go, his eyes were slightly red but dry. He smiled and stood to cross to the dresser.

"I suppose I owe Nathan and Samuel a thank you, their actions in saving you were-"

"Wait, where are the boys?"

"They departed two hours ago to explore the twelve towers in Kings Bay." Hold the god damn phone.

"Kings Bay? Weren't we just in Scotland? How long have I been out?" Her voice took on a slight tune of panic.

"You've been put for a good three days. After Victor and I managed to patch you up and ensure that you'd be fine, we packed up and flew to Madagascar in order to continue the quest." She took in the information with a slow nod of her head as he continued. "I somehow knew you'd be displeased if I took you home and away from a certain Drake." Senghor's voice teased lightly.

She smiled and looked down at the blankets in her lap, lightly picking at the itchy strings. It was true, she would have been pissed if Senghor had whisked her back home. She wasn't ready to stop looking for Avery's treasure. She'd have to be dragged away by a heard of armored elephants with machine guns attached to their backs.

As for the certain Drake...

"How is he? Sam, I mean." Her voice was soft in it's question.

"The last time i saw him? Worried. Worried and riddled with guilt. Nathan assured him that the fault lay solely with the gun men, but I don't know how much he believed him." Senghor explained.

"What time is it? Is there any way we can get to them?" She was eager to get out of bed and continue her journey. Okay, she was also very eager to see Sam and reassure him that she was peachy keen.

Damn, she really was doomed when it came to that man.

"Anya, you just woke up from a three day drug induced sleep. You can't just get up and continue like nothing happened. We can call Nathan's cell phone and let him know that you're alright." Senghor moved to stand in front of her as she got out of bed.

"Senghor, I've been in bed for three days. _Three days_. If I have to lay idle any longer I'm gonna go into exorcist mode and then you'll all be sorry." Her voice was firm as she skirted around him to pull clothing from her suitcase. "Besides, the pain is hardly there after the good work you and Sully did." She grabbed a burgundy tank top and a pair of khaki shorts, picking up her dark brown boots in the process.

Her brother's sigh probably could have been heard around the world in that moment.

"Very well, but I'm going with you this time. I'll alert Nathan that we're on our way." He walked out of the room to give her some privacy.

As she shrugged out of her pajamas and gingerly slipped on her clothes, her thoughts raced back to one Sam Drake. The last she remembered of him was seeing his worried face staring down at her and his arms encasing her as she lost consciousness. His _arms. Damn,_ they were nice _._

How was she falling so fast for a guy she'd met not but a week or so ago? How was this possible? As she mused, she could faintly hear Senghor speaking frantically outside the door. Lacing her boots up, she rushed out into the living room to see Senghor writing down coordinates.

"Yes, of course. We'll be there soon." He hung up quickly and turned to face her. "Nathan and Samuel have found the next clue and forwarded coordinates as well as pictures from the twelve towers to me, but Shoreline is hot on their trail. I informed him that you are well and that we'd meet them at a rendezvous point to lend any aid we can." She followed him out the door and to their rented jeep as he handed her his phone to view the images.

She hopped into the front seat and instantly began to scroll through the photos of Pirate Insignias and different towers. She giggled as she found a few of Sully next to what seemed to be pirate portraits and instantly stopped when she found the last photo. it was one of Sam looking off into the distance, the warm sun hitting his face as his eyes focused on the great blue sea. He wore a blue button down and a brown Henley underneath accompanied by an extremely dirtied pair of jeans.

 _God_ , he was handsome.

She smiled and looked up, realizing that Senghor had long since started the car and was already on the road.

She really couldn't wait to see him again.

 **Sam's POV**

He took a deep breath and released it in the form of a shaky laugh as the Shoreline trucks that had been chasing them exploded into smithereens. The bastards had been persistent and nearly had them multiple times, but they were no match for the Brothers Drake.

Laughing more, he looked back at Nathan and kicked the motorcycle back into gear. Exploring Kings Bay had been a real experience, one he wouldn't soon forget. He'd actually stood where the very pirates he studied had, he'd been able to walk the paths they had and discovered the clues they left behind.

The only thing that could have made it better was...

"Oh, Senghor called not long before Shoreline tried to ride up our asses. Anya's awake and in good shape, they're heading to a small rendezvous point not far from here to meet up with us." Nathan's words lifted his thoughts more than he thought possible.

She was okay. _Thank God almighty_.

When he'd last seen her, she was unconscious and too still for his liking. He would have never forgiven himself if she'd been afflicted with permanent damage or worse...

With the thought of seeing her alive and well, he sped up in order to get to the rendezvous point again; to see his babygirl again.

By the time they reached the rendezvous point, night had just descended on the small island. Bringing the bike to a stop, he felt Nathan hop off the bike and stretch his limbs. He followed suite after turning the bike off and opened his mouth to speak to Nathan before a voice stopped him.

"Sam!" God, if that wasn't the sweetest sound he'd heard in three god damn days. Turning quickly, he saw Anya jogging towards him with a smile on her gorgeous face and _blessedly okay_. In a few quick strides, he was picking her up in his arms and squeezing her to his chest.

"You're okay, _you're okay_. God babygirl, you can't even begin to understand how worried I was." Her arms went around his neck as one of his arms took hold around her waist and the other held the base of her neck. His nose buried itself in her hair and he inhaled the scent of strawberries and roses tinged with sweat and salt.

He had never smelled anything more delicious.

He smiled and kissed the side of her head for a few seconds before putting her down, not even realizing that he had picked her up. His hands stayed put on her shoulders, not allowing her to move more than a few inches from him.

"Seriously though, you're okay? You're not in any pain? I shouldn't have picked you up so suddenly, I should-" His rambling was cut off by her hand over his mouth.

"Sam, _breathe_. If I was in any pain, I would have let you know immediately. I promise, Big Guy." Her eyes were reassuring and her fingers lightly brushed his lips as she dropped her hand from his mouth. _Damn_ , if they'd been alone in that moment...

"Guys, I hate to break this up but time is kinda of the essence." Nathan's voice broke through his peaceful haze.

He looked up to see Senghor and Nathan waiting by their rented jeep and motorcycle, Nathan's face a picture of amusement and Senghor's stony with a brow raised. He nodded his head briskly and lightly squeezed her shoulders before letting her go.

 **Anya's POV**

She almost wished they hadn't gone back to the motel. By the time they arrived, Nate had gone on and on about their discovery at Kings Bay. They were on a complete high of excitement and she honestly couldn't wait to get going. These thoughts derailed when they walked back into the hotel room to see Nate's wife, Elaina.

What had ensued was an uncomfortable view of the couples insecurities and doubts, ending with Elena walking out.

"Hey, whaddya think you're doing? Go after her!" Sully's voice cut through her musings.

"We're not done here." Nate's voice was slightly emotional, but quickly gaining control.

"Well maybe we should be."

"What are you saying?" Nate questioned.

"I'm saying that maybe there's a smarter way to save Sam." Sully seemed sure.

"Such as?" Nate fired back.

"Such as we give him a new identity, we put him in hiding somewhere-"

"He's been in prison for fifteen years!" Nate cut Sully off quickly. "He's not going into hiding."

She shifted uncomfortably on the wall next to Sam, looking down at her feet. She felt Sam shift slightly and move himself closer to her in order to hold her hand in a light hold. She looked up at him and let one corner of her mouth quirk up for a second before it fell it again.

"Hey you wanna be helpful, Sullivan? Go keep an eye on her!" Nate's voice shocked her to the core, she'd never heard him address Sully by that name or in that tone. Sully's face dropped into a defeated frown as he walked out of the room and after Elena. Senghor too chose that moment to retire to his room with a light shake of his head in Nate's general direction.

Sam moved off of the wall and let go of her hand in order to try and make sure his brother was okay, but Nate wasn't having any of it. She pushed herself off the wall in order to encase his hand in hers again to get his attention. He turned to look at her and she nodded her head in the direction of the back door. She tugged him along until they got outside and stood in front of him.

"Sam? You okay?" She couldn't get him to look at her.

"This is my fault isn't it?" His voice was smaller than she cared to admit.

"No, this isn't on you Sam. Nate chose not to trust Elena with this information and now he's feeling the repercussions." She got closer to him in order to grasp his chin in her fingers, getting him to look at her. "It's not your fault, got it?"

"I wish I could be as sure as you, babygirl." His voice was way too sad for her liking. She released his chin and took his hand again.

"Come on." He looked up quickly as she pulled him along. "I wanna show you something." She didn't stop walking as she spoke.

Walking along the path, she guided him through the brush until she felt the path morph up into a hill. When the hill began to wind higher and higher, Sam chose that moment to speak.

"Wanna tell me where we're going, babygirl?" His voice was tinged with confusion.

"Just keep walking, Big Guy."

By the time she'd guided them through the final brush, she stopped and dropped his hand to revel in their location. She'd seen this hill top as she and Senghor had driven to meet the boys and so desperately wanted to see it for herself.

The hilltop overlooked the ocean and was low enough that if they wanted to jump into the cool water, they could do so without any worry. The moon reflected clearly onto the ocean's surface and the stars were clear and bright in the night sky.

"Isn't it gorgeous?" Her voice was tinged with wonder as she continued to gaze out at the view.

"Damn straight." She turned to look at him and noticed that his eyes were locked firmly onto her. She blushed and looked down for a few seconds before an idea hit her.

"Dance with me."

"Beg your pardon?" Sam's eyes widened.

"You heard me, Big Guy."

"Well that's all good and well, how do you propose we dance without any music?" He questioned.

She smirked and pulled her phone out of her back pocket. While she scrolled through her music library, Sam moved towards her side.

"My good friend, the Iphone should be able to assist us." She clicked on a song and placed it down on a nearby rock.

 **Sam's POV**

A light beat began to emit from Anya's phone as she tugged him to the center of the ground. He wasn't much of a dancer, but he'd indulge her if only to see that smile remain on her face.

 _Hey, I was doing just fine before I met you  
I drink too much and that's an issue  
But I'm OK  
Hey, you tell your friends it was nice to meet them  
But I hope I never see them again_

He wasn't familiar with the song, but the way she started to move her body and sway her hips was more than a welcome sight. She danced around him in bouts of twirling and bopping.

 _I know it breaks your heart  
Moved to the city in a broke-down car  
And four years, no calls  
Now you're looking pretty in a hotel bar  
And I, I, I, I, I can't stop  
No, I, I, I, I, I can't stop_

He laughed as she repeated the same word in an exaggerated manner. He went to move closer to her as she walked away with her back towards him. He stopped when she suddenly turned around and began lip syncing at him.

 _So, baby, pull me closer  
In the back seat of your Rover  
That I know you can't afford  
Bite that tattoo on your shoulder  
Pull the sheets right off the corner  
Of that mattress that you stole  
From your roommate back in Boulder  
We ain't ever getting older _

Even though they weren't her own words _,_ he could feel his blood temperature rise and his heart rate pick up as her eyes stayed locked on his. Her body swayed slowly to the lyrics, her hips going from side to side as her arms ran up her body into her hair in order to ruffle it.

By the time the first chorus had ended, he snapped himself out of his own haze as she began to bop to the beat again. He mentally smacked himself, here was this gorgeous woman waiting for him to dance with her and he was gaping like a god damn fish.

 _'Pull it together, man.'_ He thought to himself.

Unwinding his shoulders quickly, he strode forward to join her.

 _You look as good as the day I met you  
I forget just why I left you,  
I was insane_

He surprised her by grabbing her around the waist from behind and spinning her to face him. Her delighted laugh brought a smile to his face as she lightly draped one arm on his left shoulder and the other hand in his right.

 _Stay and play that Blink-182 song  
That we beat to death in Tucson,  
OK_

He swayed them to the beat and rhythm of the song, loving how carefree he was beginning to feel.

She brought him out here to ensure that his worries faded away, he realized; god she really was perfect.

A few more verses passed, but he hardly noticed. He was more focused on the fact that they had moved closer in each others arms. Both her arms were loosely draped around his shoulders and his were securely wrapped around her waist in a firm hold, their faces a few inches apart.

 _So, baby, pull me closer  
In the back seat of your Rover  
That I know you can't afford_

Almost as if the song was telling him what to do, he spun her again and pulled her closer until her back touched the front of his chest. Her arms criss crossed in front of her to keep her hold on his hands; one that wrapped under and over her own arms. He swayed them slowly to the lyrics and lowered his lips to her temple.

As they swayed, his eyes once again fell to the rose tattoo on her shoulder that peeked out from behind the thin strap of her tank top.

 _Bite that tattoo on your shoulder_

He lowered his head so that his nose skimmed her neck all the while inhaling her unique scent.

He felt her breath quicken and her pulse race as his lips lay on top of the tattoo. With the lyrics goading him on, his mouth opened slightly and his teeth lightly bit down on her tattoo.

Her gasp of pleasure hit him instantly and only caused him to lightly alternate kisses from the tattoo to her neck and back again. Her head fell back onto his shoulder and his arms tightened around her.

 _Pull the sheets right off the corner  
Of that mattress that you stole  
From your roommate back in Boulder  
We ain't ever getting older_

His arms began to untangle from hers in order to lightly skim up her sides.

 _We ain't ever getting older  
No, we ain't ever getting older  
We ain't ever getting older_

Her arms fell limp as her head remained tipped back on his shoulder.

 _No, we ain't ever getting older  
We ain't ever getting older  
We ain't ever getting older_

He inched his lips back up her neck, her head coming up from his shoulder in order to keep up with him.

 _We ain't ever getting older  
No, we ain't ever getting older_

As the singer let loose a long note on the final part of the chorus, Sam grabbed her shoulders and spun her around _._

His hands cupped her thighs as he lifted her up, causing her to wrap her legs around his waist and as the beat picked up for a final time he _finally_ slanted his lips over hers. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, one hand coming up to tangle in his hair. He groaned deep in his throat as she lightly tugged his hair to deepen the kiss.

Her light gasp when he squeezed her thighs gave his tongue the opening to enter her mouth and entangle with her own. Anya's hands moved so that they were cupping his face and _god they felt good on his cheeks._

Her lips were everything he dreamed of and her taste was even better. When his mouth began to retreat in order to breathe, her teeth caught his lip and tugged lightly.

 ** _God damn._**

His mouth closed the meager centimeters between them again and he began to lightly suck on her tongue. He really couldn't get enough of her taste and sucked harder and licked deeper. By the time they parted, the song was over and they were both breathing heavily. He let her down slowly, making sure to slide every inch of her body down his with his arms wrapped securely around her waist.

Her hands slid down to his chest and he knew he was screwed because there was no way she wouldn't be able to feel his heart climbing out of his chest to get to her. He moved one hand up to cup her face, allowing his thumb to lightly trace her kiss swollen lips. Her eyes were huge and her chest was still heaving from their intense make out session.

"Wow..." Her one worded response sent a swell of male pride through his system and he chuckled, tipping his forehead down to touch hers."You took the words right out of my mouth, babygirl." He smiled affectionately at her before bringing his other hand up to encase her face in both hands.

"God, you're so beautiful." And his mouth sought hers once more in a slower kiss that had her mewling.

Self blame and guilt had been banished to the far corners of his mind, replaced instead by the strong feelings he was quickly succumbing to for Anastasia Ruminovas.


End file.
